Degenerative joint disease with arthralgia: A case report

Abstract

Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) is a musculoskeletal condition involving the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and the muscles of mastication, commonly presenting with pain, joint sounds, and restricted mandibular movement. This case report describes a 19-year-old female patient who presented with pain in the right preauricular region during yawning and mouth opening, accompanied by a clicking sound. She had a history of harmful oral habits, including resting the chin on the hand, biting on a pencil, unilateral chewing, and sleeping with sustained pressure on one side of the chin, together with impaction of a mandibular posterior tooth. Clinical examination revealed crepitus in the right TMJ, mandibular deviation to the left during opening, a 2 mm midline shift, and a -1 mm overbite with anterior crossbite. Panoramic radiography showed an angular right condylar morphology. Based on the Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders algorithm, the patient was diagnosed with degenerative joint disease with arthralgia. Timely and appropriate management of this condition is essential to relieve pain and restore normal masticatory function, thereby supporting Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being). Management consisted of elimination of harmful habits, self-management therapy, physiotherapy, and fabrication of an acrylic resin stabilization splint, followed by planned occlusal equilibration and orthodontic correction. The prognosis was favourable given the patient's age, cooperation, and general oral health. This case underscores the importance of early diagnosis and conservative, cost-effective TMD management in reducing the economic burden of treatment on patients, supporting Sustainable Development Goal 1 (No Poverty).